Valves for pressurized recipients

ABSTRACT

A valve for pressurized recipients comprises two separated chambers, in communication with pressurized liquid and pressurized gas respectively. An orifice in a clapper can be moved between the first chamber for distribution of product, the second chamber for purging by the issue of gas, and a closed position. A closure member movably mounted on the clapper can obturate the orifice to prevent purging during opening of the valve, while allowing purging during closing of the valve.

[ l 3,733,009 May 15, 1973 United States Patent: 1

Rouzier et al.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS [54] VALVES FOR PRESSURIZED RECIPIENTS X MX 8 4 12 2mm 0 0 4 4 /2/ 222 2 2 "2 v mm Sae mwm PE]. 11 776 999 ill W6W [73] Assignee: Aluminium Suisse S.A., Chippis,

Switzerland Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant ExaminerLarry Martin 4ttorney gobe [22] Filed: Mar. 15, 1971 [2]] App]. No.: 124,393

[57] ABSTRACT A valve for pressurized recipients comprises two [30] Foreign Application Priority Data M '6 970 Switzerland 3863/70 separated chambers, in communication with pressurized liquid and pressurized gas respectively. An orifice in a clapper can be moved between the first chamber for distribution of product, the second [52] U.S. Cl. .............222/148, 137/242, ZZZ/402.18,

chamber for purging by the issue of gas, and a closed position. A closure member movably mounted on the clapper can obturate the orifice to prevent purging during opening of the valve, while allowing purging during closing of the valve.

4 8 H M 3 3 8m m 68% B43 1 s 1 M 1 029 724 62 BN "5 2 mm 2 m $4 a M2 2 e M8 l...m d .l h .mF I00 55 iii 12 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures ll Li PATENIEIJHAY 1 5 I875 sum 1 [1F 3 PATENTEU HAY] 5191s sum 2 BF 3 VALVES FOR PRESSURIZED RECIPIENTS This invention relates to valve mechanisms for use in distributing a liquid or pasty product from a pressurized recipient, for example for aerosol bombs.

It is essential, for certain liquid products such as paint or hair lacquer, to employ a valve comprising means for fully expelling the product from the valve and distributing head at the end of a distribution operation, since otherwise the valve would become blocked.

Several valves have already been proposed to meet up to this requirement, U.S. Pat. No. 3 049 2 71 described a valve comprising a generally cylindrical hollow valve body in which a cylindrical hollow clapper can slide. The clapper and valve body both have radial apertures. When the clapper is in a fully depressed position, its radial aperture communicates with pressurized liquid product to deliver the product. When the clapper is moved up again, the radial bores of the clap per and valve body are instantaneously aligned to provide a blast of pressurized gas to clean the product out of the valve, and when the clapper is in the fully raised position the valve is closed. However, the axial apertures are also aligned when the clapper is being pressed in, which leads to an unnecessary loss of gas. Also, if the clapper is energetically pressed and released, the axial apertures are in alignment for an insufficient time to allow thorough cleaning of the valve. Moreover, means must be provided for keeping the clapper and the valve body aligned, and a relatively long annular packing ring made of a material having a low coefficient of friction with the material of the clapper is necessary to ensure fluidtightness.

U.S. Pat. No. 3 283 962 proposes a valve similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3 049 271, but in which the long annular packing ring is replaced by a short annular packing ring fixed to the valve body, and a radial flange on the clapper which cooperates with a shoulder on the valve body, when the clapper is fully depressed,

to close the radial aperture in the valve body and thereby prevent the escape of gas. The cleaning time is increased, but for intermediate positions of the clapper, gas and product escape simultaneously. Moreover, the valve is liable to become stuck since the product passes around a return spring located between the packing ring and radial flange in a chamber which is not purged at the end of a distribution operation.

. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 3 406 877 also describes a valve in which, in intermediate operating positions, both gas and product flow. Once more, unnecessary losses of gas are involved and the chamber to be cleaned by the gas is also relatively large, so that effective cleaning is not ensured.

It is therefore a general object of the invention to provide a valve of relatively simple construction and which overcomes all, or at least a part of, the above disadvantages.

It is particular object of the invention to provide a valve having permanently separated chambers for purging and for the distribution of product so that the distribution and purging operations are separated. It is thus possible to provide a purging chamber of sufficiently small dimensions to ensure that the purging operation takes place with a small amount of gas, whilst enabling the purging operation to have a sufficient duration to fully clean the valve.

According to the invention, a valve for use in combination'with containers or recipients containing pressurized gas and liquid comprises a hollow generally cylindrical valve body having open first and second ends. A hollow tubular and movable rod or clapper closed at one end but having an aperture adjacent its closed end is mounted coaxially with the valve body with its closed end in the valve body and means mounting the clapper for sliding through first and second packing members fixed relative to the valve body. The first packing member cooperates with the clapper and a part of the valve body adjacent said first end to define a first chamber adapted, when the valve is in use, to be in communication with liquid in a recipient. The second packing member cooperates with a resilient cap and with the clapper to fluidtightly close the second end of the valve body, the second packing member, clapper, first packing member and a part of the valve body adjacent said second end defining a second chamber fluidtightly separated from the first chamber by means of the first packing member. The second chamber communicates with a fluid or gas in a recipient and a spring in the first chamber of the valve body tends to urge the clapper successively from a fully depressed position in which said aperture communicates with the first chamber, to an intermediate position in which said aperture communicates with the second chamber, and to a rest position in which said aperture is fluidtightly separated from both first and second chambers.

This valve advantageously comprises a closure member fixed on the clapper but slidable therealong, said closure member being housed in the second housing and being adapted, when the clapper is in the rest position, to obturate said aperture. First stop means are provided to displace the closure member along the clapper to free the orifice when the clapper is moved from the rest position towards the fully depressed position, and second stop means to displace the closure member along the clapper to obturate said aperture when the clapper is moved back to the rest position.

Employment of this closure member has the advan tage of eliminating the unnecessary escape of gas during opening of the valve.

The invention will now be described, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-section through a first embodiment of valve according to the invention in a closed position;

FIG. 2 shows the valve of FIG. 1 in an intermediate position during opening FIG. 3 shows the same valve in a fully depressed or open position FIG. 4 shows the same valve in an intermediate position during closing FIG. 5 shows a manner of mounting the valve on a distributor device;

FIG. 6 is a cross-section of a second embodiment in an open position FIG. 7 shows the valve of FIG. 6 in an intermediate or purging position FIG. 8 shows the valve of FIG. 6 in a closed position FIG. 9 is a cross-section along line IX-IX of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 10 is a cross-section along line X-X of FIG. 8.

The valve shown in FIGS. 1 to4 comprises a hollow body 1 in which a coaxial clapper 2 is slidably mounted, the lower part of the clapper cooperating with a helical spring 6 supported on a shoulder 7 of the body 1. The valve comprises two non-communicating chambers 4 and 5. The chamber 4 communicates by means of a tube 8 (FIG. with pressurized liquid in a distributor recipient. The chamber 5 communicates, by means of an orifice 9 in the body 1, with pressurized gas in the distributor recipient.

The chambers 4 and 5 are fluidtightly separated one from the other by means of a flat first packing member or joint 10 having a central opening through which the clapper 2 can slide, with friction.

The chamber 5 is closed at its upper end by a flat second packing member or joint 11 bearing against a cap 3. This cap 3 is made in resilient material and clips over a lip on the body I to ensure that the elements of the valve are tightly held together. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 5, the cap 3 can be incorporated into the top of the distributor recipient, so as to fix the valve into the recipient.

The joints l0 and 11 are pressed respectively against a shoulder of the body I and against the inner surface of the cap 3 by means of a tubular spacer 12. Spacer 12 has an annular bore 13 and a radial aperture 14 for the passage of gas through the orifice 9. The lower end of spacer 12 has an inwardly facing shoulder 19.

The lower part of clapper 2 has a collar or joint forming a shoulder having two faces 15 and 16 which cooperate respectively with the spring 6 and, when the valve is in closed position, with the joint 10. The upper part of the clapper 2 has a tube, one end of which communicates with the exterior. A gauged orifice 17 is provided through the lower end of this tube.

Finally, an annular joint 18 is slidably mounted on the tubular part of the clapper 2 between limits imposed by the joint 11 and by the shoulder 19 of spacer 12.

When the valve shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 is mounted on a distributor recipient as shown in FIG. 5, the chamber 4 is in permanent communication with pressurized liquid in the recipient and the chamber 5 in permanent communication with pressurized gas in the upper part of the recipient, assuming, of course, that the recipient is held upright. When the valve is in a closed position (FIG. 1) the clapper 2 is in an upper position and the face 16 of its shoulder is urged against the joint 10 by spring 6. In this position, the annular joint 18 is located in front of the orifice l7 and closes this orifice. When the clapper is axially pressed in (FIG. 2), the clapper 2 and joint 18 are moved downwardly together until the joint 18 comes to bear against the shoulder 19 of spacer 12. As the clapper 2 continues to move down, the joint 18 slides along the tubular body of the clapper and frees the orifice 17. This orifice 17 moves down into the bore of spacer 12 where it is out of contact with the gas in the recipient because of the fluidtight action of the joint I8 against the shoulder I9 of the spacer 12. The clapper continues to move down until the orifice 17, after passing through the joint 10, moves into the chamber 4. The liquid product to be distributed then flows up the tube 8 through the orifice l7 and into the bore of the clapper, from which issues through a conventional distribution head of the press-button type (not shown).

When the distribution operation is completed, the user relaxes the axial pressure on the clapper body; the clapper 2, urged by the return spring 6, moves up again to its closed position, driving the joint 18 with it. The

orifice 17 leaves the chamber 4 and delivery of the liquid product ceases. Orifice 17 then passes into the chamber 5 where it is in contact with the gas in the recipient. Thus, whilst the orifice l7 crosses the chamber 5, (from the position of FIG. 4) gas is supplied to the bore of the clapper to drive out any liquid product in the bore. At the end of its path, the orifice 17 is located inside of the joint 18 which is held in position by the joint 1 l and the outflow of gas stops. The face 16 of the clapper 2 cooperates with the joint 10 to limit the path of the clapper and improves fluidtightness of the device in the closed position. Of course, the characteristics of the spring 6 and the dimensions of the orifices l7 and 9 are chosen in such a way that during the time of upward passage of the orifice 17 in the chamber 5, the outflow of gas is sufficient to expel all of the liquid product in the bore without an undue loss of gas.

This device thus enables an automatic purge of liquid product only during the closing phase of the valve.

In the preceding example, the valve is mounted on a distributor designed to be used with the valve end uppermost. The same valve can, of course, be incorporated in a distributor used with the valve at the bottom, by adding any known means for communicating the chamber 5 with gas located in the upper part of the distributor.

A simplified device according to the invention, without a closure member slidably engaged around the tubular part of the clapper, is shown in FIGS. 6 to 10.

This device comprises a clapper 20 coaxially mounted in and slidable in a valve body 1. Clapper 20 has a collar 21 provided with flutes 22, the lower and upper faces 23 and 24 of which cooperate respectively with a spring 25 and a joint 26 fluidtightly separating chambers 27 and 28. The clapper also comprises an outflow pipe 29 provided at its lower part with an orifice 30 to enable the pipe 29 to communicate with either one of chambers 27 and 28. The chamber 28 is closed in its upper part by a joint 31. Upon clipping a cap 3 in place, the joints 26 and 31 are submitted to an axial pressure and held firmly in place, joints 31 and 26 being separated by a spacer 32 constituted by a cylindrical annular piece having a bore 33 which defines the upper chamber 28 with a relatively small volume determined according to use requirements. This chamber 28 communicates with an orifice 34 (cooresponding to the orifice 9 of the first embodiment) through a radial hole 35 in the spacer 32. The clapper 20 does not require to have any particular angular orientation in relation to the valve body 1. The chamber 28 can be of course of a relatively smaller diameter than for the first embodiment which ensures improved support of the upper joint 31.

Operation of this valve is similar to before, except that the orifice 30 communicates with the upper chamber 28 both for opening and closing of the valve.

What is claimed is l. A valve for use in combination with a container containing pressurized gas and liquid, comprising: a hollow generally cylindrical valve body having open first and second ends; a hollow tubular and movable rod closed at one end and having therein means defining an aperture adjacent its closed end; first and second packing members; means movably mounting said rod coaxially with the valve body with its closed end in the valve body and slidable through first and second packing members; means defining a first chamber within said body defined by the first packing member cooperating with the rod and a part of the valve body adjacent said first end in communication with liquid in a container during use of the valve; a resilient cap cooperating with said second packing member and with the rod to fluid-tightly close the second end of the valve body; means defining a second chamber within said body defined by the second packing member, said rod, first packing member and a part of the valve body adjacent said second end and fluidtightly separated from the first chamber by means of the first packing member; means for communicating the second chamber with gas in a container during use of the valve; a spring in the first chamber for urging the rod successively from a fully depressed position in which said aperture communicates with the first chamber, to an intermediate position in which said aperture communicates with the second chamber, and to a rest position in which said aperture is fluidtightly separated from both first and second chamber; and a closure member fixed on the rod and slidable therealong at a location within said second chamber and having means for closing said aperture when said rod is in the rest position; first stop means for effecting displacement of the closure member along the rod to free the aperture when the rod is moved from the rest position towards the fully depressed position; and second stop means for effecting displacement of the closure member along the rod to close said aperture when the rod is moved back to the rest position.

2. A valve according to claim 1, in which the closure member comprises an annular joint mounted on said rod and movable therealong against a frictional resistance therebetween.

3. A valve according to claim 2, further including a shoulder in said valve body having mounted thereon the first packing member, a substantially tubular spacing member resiliently mounted in the valve body between the first and second packing members to urge the first packing member against said shoulder, and wherein said means defining said second chamber includes the second packing member, rod, first packing member and spacing member.

4. A valve according to claim 3, in which said first stop means comprises an inwardly radially directed shoulder on said spacing member adjacent to said first packing member, and said second stop means comprises said second packing member.

5. A valve according to claim 4, in which the rod comprises a shoulder in said first chamber, cooperative with said first packing member when the rod is to the rest position to stop the rod with said aperture closed by said closure member.

6. A valve according to claim 3, in which said spacing member and valve body have means therein defining aligned apertures for communicating the second chamber with gas in a container.

7. A valve as claimed in claim 1 in combination with a container containing pressurized gas and liquid.

8. A valve for use with a container containing a pressurized fluid and liquid comprising: a valve body having therein means defining first and second spaced-apart chambers, said first chamber communicating during use of the valve with a pressurized liquid and said second chamber communicating during use of the valve with a pressurized fluid; a movable rod having therein means defining a longitudinal bore opening at one end portion of said rod and having therein means defining an aperture at the other end portion of said rod communicating with said longitudinal bore for receiving therethrough the liquid and the fluid depending upon the position of said rod; and permitting both the liquid to escape from said first chamber through said aperture when said rod is in said second position and permitting the fluid to escape from said second chamber through said aperture for a predetermined time during movement of said rod from said second position back to said first rest position.

9. A valve according to claim 8, wherein said lastmentioned means comprises a closure member frictionally mounted on said rod for movement therewith and therealong and located in said second chamber.

10. A valve according to claim 9, wherein said lastmentioned means further includes; first stop means engageable with said closure member to stop same during movement of said rod from said first rest position to said second position thereby enabling said rod to move relative to said closure member, and. second stop means engageable with said closure member to stop same during the movement of said rod from said second position back to said first rest position thereby enabling said rod to move relative to said closure member, whereby said closure member covers said aperture in said first rest position, during the movement of said rod to said second position said closure member is displaced so as to uncover said aperture, and during the movement of said rod back to said first rest position said closure member is displaced so as to cover said aperture.

11. A valve according to claim 9, wherein said closure member comprises an annular member composed of resilient material.

12. In combination: a container having means therein defining a valve opening and containing therein pres surized liquid and fluid; and a valve mounted within said valve opening comprising a valve body having therein means defining a first chamber communicating with the pressurized liquid and a second chamber communicating with the pressurized fluid, a movable rod having therein means defining a longitudinal bore opening at one end portion of said rod and having therein means defining an aperture at the other end portion of said rod communicating with said longitudinal bore for receiving therethrough the liquid and the fluid depending upon the position of said rod, means mounting said rod for sequential movement from a first rest position wherein said aperture is in said second chamber to a second position wherein said aperture is in said first chamber and then back to said first rest position, and means for preventing the fluid from escaping from said second chamber through said aperture when said rod is in said first rest position and during its movement to said second position and permitting both the liquid to escape from said first chamber through said aperture when said rod is in said second position and permitting the fluid to escape from said second chamber through said aperture for a predetermined time during movement of said rod from said second position back to said first rest position. 

1. A valve for use in combination with a container containing pressurized gas and liquid, comprising: a hollow generally cylindrical valve body having open first and second ends; a hollow tubular and movable rod closed at one end and having therein means defining an aperture adjacent its closed end; first and second packing members; means movably mounting said rod coaxially with the valve body with its closed end in the valve body and slidable through first and second packing members; means defining a first chamber within said body defined by the first packing member cooperating with the rod and a part of the valve body adjacent said first end in communication with liquid in a container during use of the valve; a resilient cap cooperating with said second packing member and with the rod to fluid-tightly close the second end of the valve body; means defining a second chamber within said body defined by the second packing member, said rod, first packing member and a part of the valve body adjacent said second end and fluidtightly separated from the first chamber by means of the first packing member; means for communicating the second chamber with gas in a container during use of the valve; a spring in the first chamber for urging the rod successively from a fully depressed position in which said aperture communicates with the first chamber, to an intermediate position in which said aperture communicates with the second chamber, and to a rest position in which said aperture is fluidtightly separated from both first and second chamber; and a closure member fixed on the rod and slidable therealong at a location within said second chamber and having means for closing said aperture when said rod is in the rest position; first sTop means for effecting displacement of the closure member along the rod to free the aperture when the rod is moved from the rest position towards the fully depressed position; and second stop means for effecting displacement of the closure member along the rod to close said aperture when the rod is moved back to the rest position.
 2. A valve according to claim 1, in which the closure member comprises an annular joint mounted on said rod and movable therealong against a frictional resistance therebetween.
 3. A valve according to claim 2, further including a shoulder in said valve body having mounted thereon the first packing member, a substantially tubular spacing member resiliently mounted in the valve body between the first and second packing members to urge the first packing member against said shoulder, and wherein said means defining said second chamber includes the second packing member, rod, first packing member and spacing member.
 4. A valve according to claim 3, in which said first stop means comprises an inwardly radially directed shoulder on said spacing member adjacent to said first packing member, and said second stop means comprises said second packing member.
 5. A valve according to claim 4, in which the rod comprises a shoulder in said first chamber, cooperative with said first packing member when the rod is to the rest position to stop the rod with said aperture closed by said closure member.
 6. A valve according to claim 3, in which said spacing member and valve body have means therein defining aligned apertures for communicating the second chamber with gas in a container.
 7. A valve as claimed in claim 1 in combination with a container containing pressurized gas and liquid.
 8. A valve for use with a container containing a pressurized fluid and liquid comprising: a valve body having therein means defining first and second spaced-apart chambers, said first chamber communicating during use of the valve with a pressurized liquid and said second chamber communicating during use of the valve with a pressurized fluid; a movable rod having therein means defining a longitudinal bore opening at one end portion of said rod and having therein means defining an aperture at the other end portion of said rod communicating with said longitudinal bore for receiving therethrough the liquid and the fluid depending upon the position of said rod; and permitting both the liquid to escape from said first chamber through said aperture when said rod is in said second position and permitting the fluid to escape from said second chamber through said aperture for a predetermined time during movement of said rod from said second position back to said first rest position.
 9. A valve according to claim 8, wherein said last-mentioned means comprises a closure member frictionally mounted on said rod for movement therewith and therealong and located in said second chamber.
 10. A valve according to claim 9, wherein said last-mentioned means further includes; first stop means engageable with said closure member to stop same during movement of said rod from said first rest position to said second position thereby enabling said rod to move relative to said closure member, and second stop means engageable with said closure member to stop same during the movement of said rod from said second position back to said first rest position thereby enabling said rod to move relative to said closure member, whereby said closure member covers said aperture in said first rest position, during the movement of said rod to said second position said closure member is displaced so as to uncover said aperture, and during the movement of said rod back to said first rest position said closure member is displaced so as to cover said aperture.
 11. A valve according to claim 9, wherein said closure member comprises an annular member composed of resilient material.
 12. In combination: a container having means therein defining a valve opening and containing therein pressurized lIquid and fluid; and a valve mounted within said valve opening comprising a valve body having therein means defining a first chamber communicating with the pressurized liquid and a second chamber communicating with the pressurized fluid, a movable rod having therein means defining a longitudinal bore opening at one end portion of said rod and having therein means defining an aperture at the other end portion of said rod communicating with said longitudinal bore for receiving therethrough the liquid and the fluid depending upon the position of said rod, means mounting said rod for sequential movement from a first rest position wherein said aperture is in said second chamber to a second position wherein said aperture is in said first chamber and then back to said first rest position, and means for preventing the fluid from escaping from said second chamber through said aperture when said rod is in said first rest position and during its movement to said second position and permitting both the liquid to escape from said first chamber through said aperture when said rod is in said second position and permitting the fluid to escape from said second chamber through said aperture for a predetermined time during movement of said rod from said second position back to said first rest position. 